The present invention relates to a shroud for fitting on pins extending through a circuit board from an electrical connector, and particularly to a shroud which can be latched to mating connectors of different heights.
Some board mounted connectors are provided with long pins extending therefrom to facilitate wire wrapping as well as possibly receiving a mating connector on the opposite side of the board. For example, card edge connectors may be mounted to a mother board and have pins extending through plated holes in the board. The pins are retained by interference fit or soldering, and wires are wrapped around the pins on the opposite side of the board. Such connectors are often interconnected by ribbon jumper cables having connectors such as the AMP EUROLATCH connector at both ends. This is facilitated by mounting a shroud on the pins, the shroud having a first face, an opposed second face, and an array of pin receiving passages extending therebetween. The second face opens in a cavity profiled to receive a mating connector therein. Standoffs at opposite ends of the first face permit wire wrap termination.
Mating connectors similar to the EUROLATCH connector, known generically in the industry as the DIN or Eurocard ribbon cable connector, are sold by several manufacturers. These connectors vary in height and accordingly, the respective manufacturers have provided different shroud and latch arrangements. It would be desirable to have a single shroud and latch which could accommodate different height mating connectors.